


Glimpses into Orchard House

by Riadasti



Category: Little Women Series - Louisa May Alcott, The March Sisters at Christmas (2012)
Genre: F/M, Family Feels, First Kiss, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Friendship/Love, Older Man/Younger Woman, Sisters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-09
Updated: 2020-08-04
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:41:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 14,293
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25158676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Riadasti/pseuds/Riadasti
Summary: Based on a humble TV movie adaptation of Little Women that was as cheesy as it was delightful. But what happened to these modern day March sisters after the credits? Series of one-shots exploring their world.
Relationships: Amy March/Teddy Lawrence, Beth March/Mr. Lawrence, Jo March/Marcus Baer, Meg March/John Brooke
Comments: 8
Kudos: 11





	1. A Promise is a Promise

**Author's Note:**

> Little Women is hands-down my favorite novel of all time. I have watched every adaptation I can get my hands on, and I came across this small, low-budget gem that placed the March sisters in modern day and in my FAVORITE time of year - Christmas! Is it perfect? No. But I enjoyed it nonetheless. Please accept this humble offering as a token of my love and appreciation for all things Little Women. Enjoy!

Teddy had been dancing around Amy for weeks. Even Jo noticed his nervous energy.

She caught him off-guard one afternoon by asking, “What’s gotten into you?”

“Nothing,” he said, reflexively.

John and Uncle Lawrence had asked him variations of the same question only yesterday.

Jo widened her eyes at him over her book. “It’s not nothing. Your knee has literally not stopped jumping since we sat down.”

He shrugged one shoulder. “It’s probably the caffeine.”

Jo continued to stare at him. He didn’t have to look at her to know the expression clear as day on her face.

He looked at her anyway, and regretted it. She clearly expected a response and would not take silence for an answer.

“Ugh, fine,” he said, letting his head fall back on the couch cushions. “But you’ll hate it and scrunch up your face like you always do, because it’s about love—or something like it.”

“I will not!” she retorted, but even she couldn’t maintain the pretense. “Alright, fine. I can’t promise I won’t make a face. But…I’m coming around to the idea of love—or something like it.”

Teddy studied her down-turned face, and dammit if she wasn’t blushing!

“You’ve got it bad for the editor,” he said with a smirk.

“Shut up!” she said and tossed her book at him. After a pause, she leaned over and poked his shoulder. “Alright, confess, Teddy Lawrence. What’s on your mind.”

He sighed. “Your sister.”

“Which one?”

“You _know_ which one,” he snapped back, giving her a sardonic look.

“Gross. Fine,” she said with a dramatic sigh. “So, what’s going on with you and Amy?”

“That’s the thing. We keep having these great times together, but I just—I can’t seem to make good on my promise to kiss her.”

“ _What_?” Jo said, bursting into uproarious laughter.

“You promised! Come on, cut it out and let me tell you.” Teddy said, confessing to the whole embarrassing ordeal.

He had promised Amy he would kiss her someday. But now that they were pretty much officially together, he could’t seem to bring up the nerve to follow through.

“I just keep imagining her as the little Chicklet we used to pick on, and then the moment is ruined,” he said, wiping a hand down his face.

“That’s the problem,” Jo said, patting him on the arm. “You’re underestimating her, just like I always did.”

He picked up Jo’s book from the floor and gave it back to his friend. “When did you get so wise?” he asked.

“Spend a day with Marcus and all of his literary-ness will rub off on you.”

“Maybe I will,” Teddy said. “He’s a good guy.”

“Thanks,” she replied, putting her head on Teddy’s shoulder to hide the fond smile that filled her face. "He's pretty great."

\--

Teddy fidgeted outside the theater entrance, doing his best to calm himself. According to John, Teddy had been putting too much pressure on himself to give Amy the perfect first kiss experience.

“Truth is,” John had said, “first kisses are often awkward, messy, and sometimes confusing.”

So, okay. Their first kiss didn’t have to be perfect. But it _did_ need to happen, and soon.

The door opened, and two of Amy’s coworkers exited. Teddy caught the door before it shut completely, and he took a circuitous route to find the back stage area. He’d visited her here often, especially now that the company she worked for was gearing up for a show at the beginning of the year.

Teddy walked past a few cast members and finally reached the green room. Amy was in the corner trying to replace the batteries in her headset. She growled in frustration, and a small crack of plastic was heard.

“ _Shit_ ,” she said.

He closed the door quietly behind him.

“Whatcha got there?” Teddy asked, and she turned to fix him with the warmest, brightest smile. A smile just for him.

She opened her mouth to speak, but Teddy stepped forward and pulled her into his arms. He bent down to kiss her, but his passion got away from him and he ended up crashing their lips together.

She cried out, and he was afraid he’d ruined the moment yet again. But she was laughing.

“Do you want to maybe…try that again?” she asked, wrapping her arms around his neck.

He smiled, instantly relieved, and happily complied with her request. The second kiss was tentative and slow. The third was filled with renewed interest and confidence on either side. And the fourth was positively breathtaking.

They broke apart, and Amy met Teddy’s eyes with a glint of humor.

“Finally,” she said. “What took you so long?”

“Sorry Chicklet,” he said. “I chickened out. So now I’m making up for not kissing you under the mistletoe or on New Year’s, or--”

“And how about for calling me Chicklet?” she interrupted, standing on tiptoes to meet him nose-to-nose.

He pretended to consider this. “Hmm, no. I don’t think that one deserves an apology.”

She smacked his chest and opened her mouth to reprimand him, but he caught her lips in another kiss. Funny how he never thought of kissing Amy before now. He’d simply have to make up for lost time.


	2. More Moments with You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beth flushed and glanced at Mr. Lawrence. It took her a moment to remember he had a first name—they always just called him Mr. L. He was giving her a soft smile that she hadn’t seen before...

Jo browsed the shelves and frowned. She honestly had no idea what she was looking for. Music was a mystery to her, and she would ask Beth for advice except that birthday gifts should be a surprise and that would pretty much ruin it. Jo let out a grunt of frustration as she picked up yet another collection of Chopin etudes.

“Can I help you with something, Miss?”

Jo glanced up and met Marcus’s eyes through the shelf. He had parted the books to get a better look at her. She couldn’t possibly stifle the smile that filled her face, nor did she want to—for once.

“Know anything about music?” she asked with a harried expression.

He walked around and joined her, fitting his hand into hers with practiced ease. His gaze drifted up and down the stacks of books while he shook his head.

“What?” Jo demanded in mock disbelief. “You mean to tell me the man who knows everything about everything isn’t a musical genius.”

He narrowed his eyes at her. “Believe it or not, there are gaps in my knowledge.”

“Thank goodness,” she said. “Otherwise you’d be unbearable.”

He smirked and leaned forward to plant a kiss on her cheek. Jo’s face filled with a sudden blush, and she turned away to resume her search.

“What about these?” Marcus pulled two thin books from the shelf and held them out.

“Duets. But Beth doesn’t play with anyone.”

Marcus shrugged a shoulder. “It never hurts to try something new. Besides, you said she had made a sort of decree or bucket list for herself, right?”

Jo let out a bark of laughter. “Yeah, we told her not to call it a bucket list. Sounds way too morbid.” She took the books and studied them for a moment. “You know, this is a really good idea.”

“I know,” he said, putting his arms around her and drawing her close.

“Ooookay, mister,” she said, putting her finger to his lips before he could kiss her. “There will be time for that later.”

Jo relished the expression of disappointment that filled his face. She adored kissing him, just not in the middle of a bookstore.

\--

Beth opened each gift and gave it the proper attention and reaction it deserved. She always did this on birthdays—mostly it was to distract herself from being the center of attention for such an extended period of time.

Meg had given her a beautiful blue dress with flowers delicately embroidered on the hem and sleeves.

“It’s to wear if you ever gave a concert—or hosted one for the kids you’ll be teaching.” Meg said, giving Beth an indulgent smile.

Beth thanked her and secretly hoped she would never have to do something like that.

Amy got her a massive, ring-bound collection of show tunes.

“I know you prefer the classics, but you _did_ say you wanted to try new things!” Amy said with a bright smile.

Beth’s parents gave her a personalized tote bag with her name embroidered on the front as well as a gift card to the local bookshop. Mr. Lawrence somehow managed to find a pile of sheet music she didn’t already own. Much of it looked musty and faded, as if he had spent time scouring through second-hand shops to find them.

Jo’s gift, however, threw Beth for a loop.

“Duets,” Beth said, staring down at the two thin books.

“Yeah, so now you’ll have to share that gorgeous piano Mr. L got you.” Jo said.

“The only thing is that James would have to be your partner,” her dad, Robert, interjected. “He’s the only one with any musical brains in this family aside from you.”

“I resent that!” Teddy said. “I can play a mean Hot Cross Buns.”

Beth flushed and glanced at Mr. Lawrence. It took her a moment to remember he _had_ a first name—they always just called him Mr. L. He was giving her a soft smile that she hadn’t seen before, and she glanced down at the books as a diversion.

She thanked everyone for their gifts, happy for the distraction provided by her mother Margaret and the birthday cake she brought into the living room.

As Beth enjoyed the homemade chocolatey goodness, she found herself studying the array of gifts around her. The duet books were the most puzzling. She had never played pieces for four hands, and she wondered if she would be any good at it. Beth always had a great fear of trying new things as she always dreaded failure. But she had made a promise to herself for the new year, and she hoped she didn’t chicken out too soon.

The next morning, Beth was on her way to the piano when she was halted by her mother.

“Sorry, darling. Your sister Meg took a notion in her head and wants to paint the family room. We’ve got your piano covered in a drop cloth, but you’ll have to use James’ for the time being.”

“Oh,” is all Beth could manage. She hadn’t planned on trying out brand new pieces in front of Mr. L.

To be honest, she was enormously grateful to him for the gift of the piano, and she had grown accustomed to the convenience. Not that walking to the next house was a massive undertaking—but it was nice to play without a keen, musical observer always nearby.

She shook her head and made an executive decision as she placed the new sheet music into the bag her parents had given her. She began the walk with confidence but nearly lost her nerve at Mr. L’s front door. Her knock was so quiet, she worried he would not hear it. Beth lifted her fist to knock again, but the door swung open.

“Beth, hello!” was Mr. L’s cheerful greeting. “Come inside out of the cold. What brings you over here?”

“Meg is painting the family room,” was all Beth could manage in reply.

She felt immensely comfortable in his home, but today she couldn't shake the sensation that something was different. Perhaps not with James Lawrence—maybe something had changed in the heart of Beth March.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't mind me over here - just thoroughly enjoying myself with these characters. <3 Thoughts?


	3. Four Hands are Better than Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "And none of us, especially me, want to even think about you dying.”

Beth’s playing was tentative today. James Lawrence didn’t know if she was feeling ill, or if something was troubling her. He studied her profile from his position on the couch and watched as she stumbled over a few bars of an unfamiliar tune. Normally she jumped into this enterprise wholeheartedly. It seemed music was a realm she could explore freely and with abandon. It was one of the many qualities he adored about her.

But today was different.

“Beth, is something the matter?” he asked, setting his book aside.

She paused, and he could tell the question made her uncomfortable.

“I think—I’m just getting used to having you listen to my playing again.”

James smiled and clasped his hands over his chest. “You know I never judge you. I’m not on the Julliard board.”

Beth met his gaze for once, and he could tell she was weighing a decision. “Would you…want to play a duet with me?”

He studied her for a moment. Beth was inviting him into her music for the first time. He didn’t quite know what to make of it. Apparently his indecision was making her back pedal, because she tucked her hair behind one ear and said something about it not being a big deal. But clearly it was.

“Of course I’ll play with you.” He joined her at the piano, and he realized the bench was barely large enough for both of them.

Beth kept apologizing when their shoulders touched.

“Beth, we’re sitting rather close, so it’s bound to happen. You don’t have to keep saying you’re sorry,” he said with a warm laugh.

“Sorry—I mean, sorry. I mean—” Her face was suffused with blushes, but she managed to return his laugh. “I do that a lot, actually. And I think I should add it to my bucket list.”

“Your _what?_ ”

“My…bucket list?” she faltered, startled by his sharp response.

“Do you have to call it that?” he said, squinting slightly at her.

Beth lifted her chin. “Why does everyone keep asking me that?”

“Because a bucket list is something you put together when you’re about to ‘kick the bucket.’ And none of us, _especially_ me, want to even think about you dying.”

She gazed at him, and James blinked at her, wondering why he had qualified the remark to make it seem as though he would be the most affected.

“O-okay,” she faltered, giving him a small smile. “I’ll call it my list of improvements, then.”

“Absolutely not,” he said. She was in the process of refuting his statement, but he continued. “That implies that you have a great many faults, my dear.”

“Well, doesn’t everyone?” she countered.

He sighed. “I suppose so. But you don’t have to push yourself quite so hard, you know. You have many wonderful qualities already.”

Beth stared at him, and he realized he was likely making her uncomfortable with all of these compliments.

“Thank you,” was all she said.

They studied one another for a moment. He would have enjoyed doing so for longer—just enjoying each other’s company as they always did, but he found himself clearing his throat and reaching forward to retrieve one of the books.

“Shall we?” he said, flattening the book against the piano and studying the first passage.

Their first attempts were halting and awkward. It was a new endeavor for both of them, and it took some time to get used to sharing the same two and half feet of space on a bench, much less making music from their combined efforts.

Beth bumped her shoulder against his, and he half expected her to apologize. When she said nothing, he glanced at her expectantly.

“I’m not sorry about that one,” she said.

Before he could reply, she jumped back into the piece with renewed energy, forcing him to race to catch up with her in the music.

\--

Meg lifted the steamer closer to the wall and waited while John tugged at the stubborn paper.

“Was this super-glued?” he demanded, showing Meg that he had only managed to rip a quarter-sized piece of the faded floral wallpaper.

“We just have to keep going,” she responded, laughing at his overly dramatic sigh.

John pulled another miniscule piece down, and he threw it into the air with a huff. “Didn’t Mr. L have another steamer? Maybe this would go faster with two.”

“You’re probably right,” Meg said, patting his arm consolingly.

She already knew this project would be arduous, given the age of the wallpaper and the time it took Jo and Teddy to remove it from the master bedroom. But she wasn’t about to tell John.

They made quick time to Mr. Laurence’s house and heard the sounds of piano and laughter emanating from inside. John looked at Meg with a conspiratorial air, and he took her hand and led them both to the back of the house. Their entrance to a side door in the kitchen went unnoticed. Sounds of bright, brilliant music emanated from the living room.

Meg pulled out her phone and surreptitiously peered around the corner, wishing to catch the pair of them in an unguarded moment.

“Slow down, Beth, you’re going to give me a heart attack!” Mr. L cried out, and Beth only laughed in response, increasing her speed.

“You’re not old enough for that,” she said, her fingers flying over the keys in a frantic pace.

He reached around behind her and stole a few bars of her part on the upper end of the piano.

“Interference! No fair,” she cried out, but she was laughing too hard to continue playing.

In fact, she was laughing so hard she almost toppled off the other end of the bench.

It was at this moment that Meg’s phone (which she foolishly forgot to put on silent) made a loud trill.

Beth and Mr. L turned sharply in their seat.

“How long have you two been snooping?” Mr. Laurence asked, standing and putting his hands on his hips.

“I’d be more worried about changing your locks,” Beth added under her breath.

“The door was unlocked,” John added with a grimace.

“Somehow, that’s worse,” Beth muttered again.

“We—well, we just came over to borrow your steamer. Do you still have it?”

Mr. Lawrence considered for a moment before putting one hand in the air triumphantly. “I think it’s buried somewhere in the garage. Come, John. We have some digging to do!”

James Lawrence bounced out of the room, and John followed, but only after giving the two women a confused look over his shoulder.

“He’s in high spirits,” Meg remarked, coming to sit beside Beth on the piano bench.

“He’s always in high spirits,” Beth corrected her, readjusting the pages on the piano to find a solo piece.

Meg cleared her throat and pocketed her phone. “I’ve never seen you laugh like that before,” she said.

Beth nodded her head. “And I’ve never played duets before. It’s an evening of firsts for me.”

Meg hummed in response, but her mind drifted a thousand different directions. She glanced over to find Beth staring at her with narrowed eyes.

“You’re planning something, I know it,” her younger sister said.

“Oh, come on,” Meg said, wishing she was a more convincing liar. She decided to throw Beth off the chase by asking her direct questions, which she hated. “Unless there’s something going on that I should know about? And _secrets_ you’re not sharing with the class?”

Beth rolled her eyes. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” She held up a finger in her sister’s face. “Don’t make things weird.”

Meg held up her hands in surrender.

The men returned with their prize in hand, and though Meg suggested the two of them resume their duets, Beth excused herself and said she was tired. Mr. L was clearly disappointed but was his usual agreeable self and saw them all to the door.

Beth disappeared into Orchard House, but Meg paused on the porch steps. She pulled out her phone and began typing frantically.

“Meg, what are you up to?” John said, trying to read the text over her shoulder.

“Don’t worry about it,” she said distractedly.

“Oh, but I do worry,” he said, snatching at her phone.

She leaned forward and decided she would just have to find a way to distract him. She put her arms around his neck and pulled him in for a kiss. Meanwhile, her phone buzzed repeatedly with returning messages.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now what can Meg be up to? You know she's going to meddle somehow and likely make a mess of things. But you'll just have to stay tuned to see how it all turns out....leave some love in the comments!


	4. Post Office Shenanigans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Don’t apologize,” he said with a soft laugh. “I like it when you’re spontaneous.”

“What is so urgent that I had to leave a meeting with my editor?” Jo demanded, stepping into the shed with a huff.

Amy and Meg were already there, making themselves at home on the hodge-podge of chairs collected in the small space that they dubbed their own private “Post Office.” It was a place for meetings, plays, and at one time served as a message delivery center. It was their home base, their center of operations—and today Meg had called a meeting.

Amy turned to Jo with an ironic expression. “Since you’re dating your editor, it’s hardly a meeting if you’re just getting coffee.”

Jo glared at her, without malice, and plopped down on the worn sofa beside her youngest sister.

Meg stood up before the two of them. She was practically buzzing with excitement. Amy and Jo were back on their phones, and it was clear Meg had no desire to play second fiddle to any old cell phone.

“Would you both please stop sexting your boyfriends for two minutes?”

“I wasn’t!” Jo said.

“I was,” Amy said with a smirk.

“Gross,” Jo responded, shoving Amy’s shoulder.

Meg sighed and pulled out her phone. “Would you both just look at this, please?”

She hit play, and both Jo and Amy appeared disinterested at first. Then Amy’s face burst into a smile.

“That is the most adorable thing I have ever seen!” Amy clapped her hands.

Jo appeared confused. “I don’t get it.”

“Ugh, Jo! Why do you have to be so clueless?” Meg cried out, pointing at the small screen of her phone. “Don’t you see Beth? How happy she is?”

“So what? She’s enjoying playing duets.” Jo insisted.

“You have to believe me, there were sparks flying between them.” Meg said, glancing back at the video.

“Wait, hold on. Between Beth and Mr. L?” Jo sat up, her face a mask of disbelief. “Teddy’s _uncle_?”

"Mr. Lawrence is more like an older brother than his uncle, really,” Meg said. “I mean, he’s like 40 something, right?”

“Yeah, and Beth is way too young.” Jo countered.

“Age isn’t a big deal,” Amy added, staring back at her phone with a faint smile.

Jo groaned in frustration. “I am not talking about age. I am talking about maturity.” She leaned forward and put a hand on Meg’s arm. “Please promise me you will not get involved. You remember what happened last time you tried that with Beth?”

Meg’s face fell, her excitement clearly deflating.

“And don’t you try to encourage her, either,” Jo turned and spoke to Amy. “If there’s one thing we’ve learned about Beth this past month it’s that she can take care of herself. And she’s going to do what she wants—in her own time.”

“God, Jo,” Amy said, “Why do you have to be such a know-it-all?”

Meg sighed. “She’s right, though.”

“Maybe Beth is just lonely,” Amy added. “I mean, since Christmas, the three of us have been pretty busy with our own stuff.” After this remark, her attention went back to her phone as it buzzed.

The oldest March sister turned her head to the side, considering this new piece of information. “Solid point, Amy,” she said.

“I have been neglecting her lately,” Jo admitted. “She asked me to make cookies with her yesterday, and I bailed because Marcus and I had to work on my new chapters.”

“Then let’s make it up to her. Let our boyfriends fend for themselves and just have a good, old-fashioned movie night together.”

Jo pointed at Meg. “You have to promise not to try and wheedle information from Beth like you always do. I say we just leave this whole Mr. L and Beth thing alone. Let it sort itself out.”

And that is how the March sisters ended up eating homemade cookie dough on the couch, surrounded by the delightfully warm Christmas décor—and talking about love.

Meg had started the conversation (despite her promise to Jo) and brought up the subject of Frank Vaughn.

“Whatever happened between you two?” Meg asked, putting her head in her hands and gazing at Beth with an overly indulgent smile.

Beth gave her a sidelong look. “We hung out for a bit and went out on one date. That’s all there was to it.”

“But I mean,” Meg continued (ignoring Jo’s wild gesticulations behind Beth’s back), “what happened? Did you guys argue? Was there maybe…someone else?”

Beth frowned at her. “No, we didn’t fight. We just didn’t fit. I have trouble finding guys I feel comfortable talking to.” She paused and leaned away from Meg. “You’re being weird.”

“Yes, Meg,” Jo concurred. “Let’s talk about something else. _Anything_ else.”

Meg glared and turned her attention to her phone. She typed out a quick message, and Jo eyed her suspiciously.

\--

“Wonder what the girls are getting into tonight,” Teddy said, accepting a beer from his uncle.

“Meg says they’re eating cookie dough and watching cheesy Christmas romance movies,” John replied, glancing down at this phone. 

It buzzed several more times, and he shook his head but did not take the time to type out a response.

“You know, I’m proud of you boys. I told you each to get a kiss by Christmas, and by golly, you did it.” James Lawrence raised his wine glass in the air, toasting the two younger men.

“Though technically, Teddy didn’t get his real kiss till after New Year’s,” John supplied.

Teddy grabbed a nearby throw pillow and tossed it at John’s head.

“What’s this?” James took a sip of his wine and gave Teddy a smirk.

His nephew groaned and put a hand over his face. “I did kiss Jo, just after midnight on Christmas Eve, but we all know how that turned out.”

“It turned out how it was supposed to,” James said.

John glanced at his phone (which was still buzzing repeatedly), took a long drag of his beer, and said, “Hey, how come you’ve never dated, Mr. L?”

“Oh, I have dated, my friend. I may not have dated around like you two did after college, but what I lacked in quantity of women, I made up for in quality. Some fine specimens in my day.” He paused, sipping his wine. “I just…haven’t had the interest these days.”

“Why’s that?” John asked in a tone that was supposed to sound casual but was definitely forced.

“It’s too much effort to get to know someone these days,” James said. “I’m an old-fashioned guy. I figure at this stage in my life, it would be so much simpler to already know the person I’m supposed to end up with.”

“Makes sense,” John said, again with an attempt at being off-handed and casual. 

Teddy narrowed his eyes at his friend and mouthed the words, _What’s wrong with you?_

John waved his hand and mouthed back, _Later._

“Though with the two of you finding your mates, it’s made me think about a few things,” James said, swirling the wine in his glass.

“What kind of things?” John said.

James turned and fixed John with a sardonic smile. “You’re awfully curious about my love life. Let’s forget I said anything for now.”

John went back to his phone and typed out a few messages and finally pocketed the device with a sigh.

"The girls say they need help putting away decorations," John said. 

James gulped down the rest of his wine and jumped to his feet with his usual energy.

"Come on, then," he said, motioning to the younger men.

“Are you really going to make us work on a Friday night?” Teddy called after him.

“I’m not asking, I’m telling,” his uncle said. "When the March women call, we answer."

Teddy pulled John aside as they all made their way to Orchard House.

“Dude, what’s with the inquisition tonight?” he said in a hushed voice. 

John shook his head with an exasperated sigh. “Definitely not my doing. You’ll see what I mean.”

They knocked on the front door and were welcomed by a cheerful Meg.

"Come in, gentlemen," she said, taking James by the shoulder and leading him into the living room.

“Meg!” Jo chided from the corner of the living room where she was sifting through a green plastic tote.

“I just thought we could use some muscle,” Meg said, reaching over to playfully squeeze John’s bicep.

“But it’s Friday night!” Teddy bemoaned, plopping down on one of the couches next to Amy.

She pulled him in for a hug. “We need your moral support, then,” she supplied. “We need the decorations out of the way so Mom and Dad can start their next phase of sprucing up the place.”

Teddy, Amy, and Meg talked animatedly about the plans for the room.

“Guess I’ll just do this by myself, then?” Jo said, holding up an empty wreath box.

“I’ll make some cocoa,” Beth supplied, slipping away into the kitchen.

James stared after her for a second before following. Beth was busying herself with pulling mugs from the cabinets, but the soft sniffle confirmed his suspicions.

“I assume the cocoa was just a diversion,” he said, moving past her to retrieve the can of dark chocolate Swiss Miss from its position on a nearby corner shelf.

Beth startled him by turning and wrapping him in a sudden hug. He froze for a moment before returning the embrace. She fit surprisingly well in his arms. But she didn’t usually seek affection in this manner, and it concerned him.

“Hey, sweetie,” he said, using his favorite pet name for her. “Is it the decorations that upset you?”

She sniffed again, burying her face in his sweater. “Yeah,” she said shakily. “That, and the remodeling, I guess.”

He rubbed her back consolingly. “No matter what happens to Orchard House, you know my place will always be next door. It’s not the same, I know. But I’m not planning on taking down my decorations anytime soon. I can keep them up all year round if you like.”

She laughed—an encouraging sign—and stepped away from him with a muttered apology.

“Don’t apologize,” he said with a soft laugh. “I like it when you’re spontaneous.”

Beth laughed in earnest this time.

“Hey,” Amy called out from the other room, “how long does it take two people to make cocoa?”

Beth rolled her eyes at James, and the pair of them went about their original task with mirrored smiles on their faces.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so clearly I have a favorite pair (that never happened -- a girl can dream). Thoughts? Questions? Concerns? I'll take them all. Stay tuned! More to come!


	5. Pack Up Your Troubles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “How do you know if you love someone?”

Several weeks went by, and even Jo had to admit Beth was acting strange. She was quieter than usual, and she no longer went over to James’s house. This last shouldn’t have bothered Jo, but she knew that it meant Beth wasn’t playing piano. Meg had insisted on completing the family room renovation to the very end and had requested they extend the time. Jo had a sneaking suspicion her oldest sister might have said something to Beth—anytime all four sisters were in the same room, Beth rarely acknowledged Meg.

And even James was acting weird. He came over to the house a few times to ask after Beth, hinting that his piano would go out of tune without regular play, but no matter how many different ways they tried, Beth always just said no.

“Are you okay?” Jo said, stealing a moment alone with her younger sister to check in with her.

Beth nodded, curled up with a book in the corner of their Post Office. She had refused to allow anyone to touch the twinkle lights and silk poinsettias that were strewn about their private little oasis. Jo picked up a faded ribbon from a nearby table and placed it on her head.

“Are you sad about Christmas being officially over in Orchard House?”

Beth nodded again. She breathed a sigh, snatching at the bow from Jo’s head and eyeing it fondly. “I know you guys think I’m immature or childish for wanting things to stay the same, but…change is scary.”

Jo wasn’t the best at offering comfort or advice, so she simply opted for a hug. She put the ribbon on her chest and said, “I’ll be your Christmas gift that keeps on giving.”

Beth laughed good-naturedly, but her mood lapsed back into morose once more. “So…Meg has been acting really weird. I think she’s got some stupid notion in her head.”

Jo considered whether to play innocent or admit to foreknowledge of Meg’s ridiculous scheme.

“About you and Mr. L?” Jo said, deciding on the latter.

“I’m not an idiot,” Beth said, her rare temper rising. “I’m shy and I’m quiet, but I notice more than you guys give me credit for.”

“We don’t think you’re an idiot. And I’ll tell Meg to cut it out, okay?”

“Well, it’s too late,” Beth said, burying her face in Jo’s shoulder. “Now things are weird, and I can’t stop thinking about—possibilities.”

Jo was speechless for a second. Had Meg actually been right?

But Beth was already clamming up. She had turned away and was folding the red bow into a box on the floor.

“Beth,” Jo said, putting a hand on her sister’s back. “What is it? You know you can tell me anything.”

Her younger sister turned, and there were tears in her eyes.

“You won’t judge me?”

Jo shook her head emphatically. “Never.”

Beth gave her an ironic look.

Jo huffed a sigh. “Fine, maybe a little. But I love you, so tell me anyway.”

“I think I never dated around because I was always comparing men to James—to Mr. L.”

Jo was silent for a moment, considering her words very carefully. “He’s a nice guy,” she finally said.

“He’s more than nice,” Beth insisted. “He knows me better than anyone, and I can honestly be myself around him. I can’t say the same about any other guy I’ve met. James and I love the same music and movies, and…” Her voice trailed off.

“But he’s—well, he’s more like family, isn’t he?”

Beth stared at her. “What’s wrong with that?”

Jo held up her hands in surrender. “I am way out of my depth here. But are you actually thinking about being with him? I mean, seriously thinking about it?”

Beth’s face was pinched in a look of confusion. “I hadn’t until Meg put the thought in my head!”

Jo let her head fall back onto the couch cushion. _Stupid Meg and her meddling_.

“I really was pretty content with my life, you know?” Beth continued in a rare moment of candor. “I hadn’t really considered the loneliness I would feel when all three of my sisters found their mates in the span of a few weeks. It just made me feel like…like maybe the three of you would go your separate ways, and I’d be left behind.”

“Beth, no!” Jo objected. “We’d never leave you behind.”

“You might,” her younger sister persisted. “Not on purpose, but you and Marcus might decide to go to a bigger city with more opportunities. I know Meg plans to travel with John, and who knows about Amy and Teddy? I’ll still be here, at least until Mom and Dad sell the house, and then I’m on my own.”

“Beth,” Jo shook her sister’s shoulder with a soft protest. “You can’t keep imagining the worst possible outcomes to situations.”

Beth nodded with a resigned sigh. “I’ll try my best,” she said with a hint of resolve. “But what do I do about James—um, Mr. L?”

Jo shrugged her shoulders, giving each word slow deliberation. “Do you think he returns your feelings?”

“I don’t even know if _I_ have feelings! I am so confused right now!” Beth cried, leaning over and burying her face in a throw pillow.

Her older sister sighed and patted her back consolingly. “Well, all I know is that I’m terrible at communication. Don’t make the same mistakes I’ve made. You can’t avoid Mr. L forever.”

“Is that a challenge?” Beth replied, her voice muffled from the crocheted pillow.

\--

James stared at the piano in the living room and squinted his eyes, wondering if he could conjure the image of Beth’s figure. He had played the CD she gave him from Christmas multiple times, but it just wasn't the same. What was worse was he _knew_ she was avoiding him. He just had no clue why.

A soft knock at the front door took him by surprise. Anyone he knew would never knock. He always kept an open-door policy with John and the March sisters. Teddy lived here, but he was practically nonexistent—much too distracted with Amy to bother with family dinners with his uncle these days.

He pulled himself from the couch and opened the door.

“Beth!” he said, stepping forward to pull her into a hug, but a hard, rectangular object prevented his embrace.

“Sorry!” Beth cried out, and she stammered something about cookies.

He didn’t need to hear another word and simply ushered her into the house.

“My dear, where have you been? I was so worried. My piano is dusty from neglect.”

Beth gave him an odd little smile. “Your piano is always dusty, just like the rest of your house,” she countered.

“Well that’s because it’s been like a ghost home these days what with Teddy painting the town red with your sister and with whatever it was that kept you away.”

She gave him an apologetic look and said nothing for a moment. She was struggling to reconcile the hug he tried to give her. Meg’s words bounced around in her head and kept her second-guessing everything. It was exhausting and maddening. She wanted things to go back to the way they were.

She observed the room behind him, and a warm glow suddenly filled her chest.

“Your decorations are still up,” she said.

He put his hands in his pockets. “I made a promise,” he said simply.

“But it’s almost Valentine’s day.”

“I made a promise to _you_ ,” he sustained with a soft laugh.

Beth breathed deeply, unable to meet his gaze for a moment. “These days I’m realizing the need for change.”

This statement startled James. He had known Beth for half of her life, and it seemed she had undergone some sort of transformation over the holidays. She was still his Beth, but there was a new resolve and confidence that underpinned her natural good nature.

“So you’re telling me it’s time to take them down?”

Beth appeared to deliberate his question, and then she nodded her head decisively. “I’ll put on the music. You get the boxes, and we’ll get started.”

He raised his brows. He quite liked this newfound authority in his dear friend.

“Very well,” he conceded. “We’ll consider it a last hurrah for the holidays.”

While he searched out all of his various boxes, totes, and bags, he heard the soothing sounds of Ella Fitzgerald emanating from the living room. He always thought Beth had an old soul, especially when it came to music.

They worked side by side in relative silence (but complete ease), toiling away until they had listened to both sides of “Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas.” They decided to take a break as the last bars faded away.

“So what kept you away?” James asked around a mouthful of Beth’s homemade sugar cookies.

She bit her lip and swallowed a gulp of hot cocoa. “It’s a little embarrassing.”

He regarded her over his third cookie. “Don’t tell me it’s boy troubles.”

The flush on her cheeks told him his suspicions were correct. It was odd—he had never thought of Beth dating. There was that Vaughn character, but truly he had never even suspected she harbored affection for anyone. Whoever the man might be, he would be lucky to win the heart of Beth March.

She cleared her throat. “I could use your advice, actually.”

“Fire away,” he said.

“How do you know if you love someone?”

He was not prepared for this question. He took another bite of cookie to steel himself before responding.

“Well,” he said, “in my experience, you feel comfortable around each other. You have no shame showing your true self to this person. You want to be around them, even to just share the same space for a little while. It is the stuff deep, abiding friendships are made of and what make love last longest.”

She gazed at him, mentally making small check marks against every item in his list.

He cleared his throat, suddenly self-conscious. “Listen to me blathering on,” he laughed. “You’ll just know.”

“And if he doesn’t love me back?”

He met her searching gaze. “Then he’d be a complete imbecile.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hooooo boy, okay. So this couple is taking a lot more effort than I thought. I'd be curious about your feedback on this. More to come! <3


	6. Feels Like Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naturally, he didn’t mean to imply she was a child. She was a grown woman.

“Okay girls. Your father is taking me out to dinner,” Margaret said, and four voices responded with overly exaggerated wolf-calls.

“Alright, calm down!” Margaret said with a laugh, fixing all of her daughters with a loving but exasperated expression. “After thirty-five years of marriage, the sparks don’t fly as much. Tell me about what each of your beaus has planned!”

“Dinner and a movie,” Meg said, “then a walk along the river.”

“Teddy and I are having a movie marathon in the Post Office,” Amy added, wiggling her eyebrows at Meg.

“Gross, Amy!” Jo said.

“Oh, chill out!” Amy said. “Strictly movies and some light snuggling.”

“Still. Ew,” Jo insisted.

Their mother rolled her eyes. “What about you and Marcus?”

Jo crossed her arms. “We decided not to do anything special. I told him I didn’t need flowers, or chocolates, or—”

“We get it, Jo!” Meg said, voicing aloud what everyone was thinking. “You’re taking a stand against Valentine’s day. But Marcus is totally going to surprise you with something anyway.”

Jo tried to protest, but the rest of the March family knew it to be true.

Margaret hugged and kissed each of her daughters as Robert came down the stairs.

“Looking good, dad!” Amy said.

“You two be back home by 10pm,” Jo said, ushering their parents out the door.

Each March sister disappeared to make final adjustments to their outfits or makeup (assisted by Amy), except for Beth.

As each one disappeared, only Amy and Beth remained in the front hall.

“What are you getting into tonight?” Amy asked her sister.

Beth shrugged one shoulder. “I thought I might practice at Mr. L’s.”

“But he gave you the nicer one here so you wouldn’t have to. That other one he has is so old and kind of clunky, right?”

“I know,” Beth said. “But it’s a more…authentic sound.”

Amy gave Beth a knowing smile, to which Beth leaned forward and crossed her arms.

“You _cannot_ tell Meg. She’d have a field day.”

“Scout’s honor!” Amy held her hands up in surrender and gave her sister an exaggerated salute.

“That’s not—that’s not even right. Not even close to the actual scout salute.” Beth said, bursting into laughter just as Teddy walked through the front door.

He whisked Amy away after giving Beth a quick side-hug.

The moment they disappeared through the back entrance of the house, Beth grabbed a hastily packed bag and darted out the front door.

\--

James had the top panel open on the old Baldwin piano and was in the middle of attaching a new damper when the front door opened.

“That you, Teddy? I thought you and Amy were—”

“Hi,” a familiar voice said. It was most decidedly not Teddy and most certainly female.

He had to remove his jeweler’s glasses to get a better look at her. Beth was standing in the entrance to his parlor, and he was instantly confused at the sight of her.

“What are you doing here?” he said, and he wished the tone of his voice were a bit more welcoming. But he was simply alarmed that she was here in his house on Valentine’s Day, of all days.

“I came to play duets with you,” she responded in a matter-of-fact tone, lifting the tote bag on her shoulder.

“Well, that may be true, but what about the man you told me about? Surely he asked you to dinner and a movie. Or are kids today still doing something so old-fashioned?”

She rolled her eyes and leaned against the doorframe. “I don’t know what kids these days are doing because I’m not one of them.”

This confused him further. Naturally, he didn’t mean to imply she was a child. She was a grown woman.

“No, of course not,” he said, doing his best to remedy the mistake.

She brushed it off with a smile and stepped into the room. She approached the piano, intrigued by the work he was doing.

“You know, I studied the mechanisms but I never really had hands-on experience with the innards of a piano,” she said, staring down into the body of the antique instrument.

“Well,” he said, clearing his throat (and secretly happy for the distraction), “let me show you what’s wrong with this old thing.”

He pointed out various flaws in the hammers and dampers, but Beth was lost in all the rails, shanks, buttons, and levers that she found herself nodding her head and studying James instead. He was so passionate about all things music, and she credited him for much of her ambitions over the years with the piano. He had always been there rooting for her, through the highs and lows of her education. Even when she failed all of her post-college auditions, his support never wavered.

“Are you even listening?” James said with a sudden laugh. He had his jeweler’s glasses on again, and the contraption magnified his irises to a comical degree.

She laughed and shook her head. “I got lost ages ago.”

“Even with these ridiculous things on, I can see you’re not interested.”

Beth smirked. “I bet you can see every pore and flaw on my face with those.”

He leaned closer and pretended to examine her with the same degree of attention he was using to repair the piano.

“Not a flaw in sight,” he said.

“Don’t tease,” she laughed. “Let me try.”

Before he could protest, she had removed the glasses, and he was startled to realize how close their faces had become. Neither one of them moved for several seconds. It was as if each was waiting for the other to move away or—

 _Or what_? James’s brain supplied. What lay at the end of that sentence was likely a mistake. She wouldn’t. Would she?

Beth merely blinked at him, and her dark brown eyes told him nothing of her inner thoughts.

“Uh, here,” he said, passing the glasses into her hand.

Interesting. He had been the one to break the unusual spell between them, not Beth.

He was grateful for the diversion of finishing the repairs, which they completed with only a few hiccups.

“Grab one of those duets and we’ll test it out,” he said, and he absently wondered if this was a bad idea.

He remembered what happened the last time they played duets. It had been fun, but he had been left with a few confusing emotions towards this young woman beside him. He considered her one of his dearest and closest friends—and entirely his superior when it came to musical talent.

She felt like family.

But she also felt like home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Annnnd here we are again with no conclusion in sight. But that's fine! I'm enjoying myself, and I hope you are, too! <3


	7. Left Behind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He hummed slightly against her ear, and she worried she may never want to let go.

Another month passed, and suddenly the lives of each of the March sisters became a frenzy of activity—all except Beth.

Jo and Marcus planned to travel to New York to the Random House Publishing headquarters in a few weeks. Meg and John were in full wedding planning mode while Meg worked to finish her degree online. John was still obligated to participate in at least three weeks of the Teachers Teaching Abroad program, which started in a matter of days. Amy applied to a transition program that provided academic courses geared toward theater, and Teddy planned to accompany her while she was in Pittsburgh for five months. Even Margaret and Robert had planned to take a weeklong vacation in Vermont at some point.

Beth sat on the couch in the newly redecorated family room and stared blankly at the pages in front of her.

James turned from the piano where he had been serenading her with a collection of pieces by Clara Schumann.

“You keep sighing,” he said with a smirk. “Even I know that’s Beth March code for ‘preoccupied and unhappy.’”

She lifted her chin in mock defiance, setting her book down. “Maybe I was just breathless and in awe of your piano playing.”

“How dare you!” he said in a voice of outrage.

She reached out and put a hand on his arm consolingly. “There, there,” she said. “Just keep practicing and you’ll get there.”

“And now you’re patronizing me,” James said. “You’re in a feisty mood today.”

Beth laughed, shaking her head. She opened her mouth to continue their prior discussion, but Meg and John came rushing into the room (mostly it was Meg, with John in tow).

“We have some good news and some bad news.” Meg said, practically vibrating with excitement.

“What’s that?” James and Beth said simultaneously.

“Okay first, that was adorable.” Meg said.

Beth rolled her eyes and James only smiled.

“Second, we got Plumfield Estate for our venue!”

Beth squealed along with her sister. Plumfield Estate was one of those old homes that had been maintained and restored to its former glory from pre-Civil War days. Even Beth, who is not particularly fond of crowds and weddings, is excited at the prospect of getting to explore its many rooms.

“And third,” John finished, “my overseas program was unfortunately suspended.”

Beth’s jaw dropped. “You decided to end with that depressing piece of news?”

“But we’re not finished!” Meg interjected. “They couldn’t refund us the tickets, but they are letting us transfer the flights on the same airline.”

“Oh, well that will be a nice honeymoon gift,” Beth said, but Meg quickly shook her head.

“No,” she said, “the tickets have to be roughly the same dates, and only for one person (unless we want to pay for a whole new set of tickets). It’s some weird rule they made.”

Meg stepped forward and took Beth’s hand in hers. “I know I’ve been pushy and meddlesome, but…if you’d allow me one more chance to plan something for you, I think it would be so amazing if you got to take a trip.”

“Me?” Beth said, staring around at everyone with wide eyes. “I’ve never left the state, much less the country.”

Meg pulled a few pamphlets from her back pocket and pressed them into Beth’s hands. “Just—think about it, okay? Except you’ll kind of need to decide by next week.”

The next few days passed in a bit of a blur. Beth felt like everyone around her was doing their best to encourage this insane trip. Mom and Dad mentioned they had some money set aside as an early birthday gift for Beth, enough to make her travels comfortable. Jo kept saying how jealous she was and how inspiring it would be to write in the shadow of the Berlin Cathedral. When Marcus, Teddy, and John all said something to her at separate occasions, Beth had simply had enough. She felt smothered at Orchard House.

James knocked on the door of the Post Office and cautiously stepped inside.

At the sight of him, Beth threw up her hands in exasperation. “Did they send you in here to try and convince me?”

James took a seat opposite her and put his feet up on the old steamer trunk they used as a coffee table.

“I’m not here to convince you,” he said. “Quite the opposite actually.”

She eyed him narrowly.

“Truly!” He continued. “What could you possibly learn from a trip like this? The rigors of travels? The joys of jet-lag?”

Beth frowned. “There _are_ lots of opportunities to listen to concerts and even visit places like Leipzig.”

“But what does Mozart’s birthplace have to offer, really?”

She shrugged one shoulder. “Perhaps it’s a way to connect music learned in an academic setting to a real, physical place in this world. Maybe it’s—” She stopped mid-sentence. “Hey, that’s cheating!

He chuckled. “This old man has a few tricks up his sleeve yet.”

She glanced up at the ceiling with visible annoyance. “Would you stop saying you’re an old man? You’re hardly decrepit.”

James’s mouth tugged upwards in a sideways smile, but he covered it with one hand.

“Very well,” he said with a more sober tone. “Do you want my honest opinion?”

“You wouldn’t be the first,” she sighed. “But to be truthful, I do value your thoughts on this.”

He leaned forward and took one of her hands in his. “I think you should go.” He pressed her fingers gently. “I think you should soak up every single ounce of enjoyment and come back refreshed with inspiration.”

Beth met his gaze and felt alarmingly close to tears. “If you think I should go,” she managed to say, “I’ll go.”

“Good,” he said, pulling her to her feet. “Let’s go tell everyone the happy news!”

She followed after him, keeping hold of his hand as he led the way.

On entering, she found her entire family crammed into the mudroom. She gave them all a stern look (or as stern as sweet-natured Beth could manage).

“Well, James?” Robert said, poking his head in from the kitchen.

“She’s going,” James said, and the entire March family erupted into applause.

“I knew she’d listen to you,” Beth’s mom said.

“We’re packing! We’re doing this!” Amy bounced up and down and took Beth by the arm.

Just before she was dragged way by her three sisters, she looked over her shoulder and gave James a warm smile.

\--

The fateful day arrived, and Beth felt incredibly anxious. Her entire family would be there to see her off—as well as John, Teddy, and James. She barely slept the night before and packed her carry-on bag three separate times. She had plenty of reading material, travel guides, and gadgets to ensure she was well connected and prepared. But this was still an incredibly new experience for her.

The family stood at the entrance to the security check-in, and she suddenly had to say goodbye. She was not ready for her mother and Meg to be crying, nor was she prepared for the incredibly tight hug from her father.

“Just don’t come back with a gross international boyfriend, okay?” Amy said in her usual light-hearted manner, but even her eyes were brimming with tears.

“Guys, she’ll be back in two weeks!” Jo said, her face flushed to hide the fact that she, too, was emotional.

“Our little Bethie going off on her own,” Margaret said, fully crying at this point.

"There, there, my dear," Robert said, consoling his wife.

Beth gave Teddy and John quick hugs before turning to James. They stared at one another for a moment, and Beth realized it had grown strangely quiet around them. She turned and found that her family had quietly stepped away to give the pair privacy. Her face flushed. She wished they would stop—

“Beth?” James said, and she turned her attention back to him.

She realized he was holding a small package. She opened her mouth to protest, but he placed it in her hand and closed her fingers over it.

“Don’t say anything. Just—wait to open it till you get on the plane.”

Beth nodded, sensing he wanted to say something but that he was holding back.

“Two weeks isn’t a long time,” she said.

“I know,” he dropped his head slightly. “But you might find you like traveling too much, and old Orchard House and its neighbor won’t seem as appealing as they once did.”

She stared at him for a moment, puzzled.

“I’ll always come home, James,” she said, pulling him in for a quick hug.

He hummed slightly against her ear, and she worried she may never want to let go.

Their moment was brief, because the rest of the March family stormed back for final embraces. Beth continued to glance at them over her shoulder as she made her way through the revolving doors to the security check-in. It wasn’t until she lost sight of them completely that she turned and began her journey.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will not apologize for posting a million chapters a day, nor will I apologize for loving the March family to death. <3


	8. From Berlin with Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something about the tone of his voice brought a smile to her face.

“Get in here, Teddy!” Amy shouted from the family room.

“Coming,” he said, jogging back into the room with a freshly popped bowl of popcorn.

“What are you doing?”

“What, I can’t have a snack?” he said, giving her his puppy-eyes face that she loved and hated.

“We literally _just_ ate,” she laughed, reaching to snatch at a few pieces.

“No, absolutely not,” Teddy said, lifting the bowl far out of her reach. “If you hate on my snacks, you don’t get any.”

She protested and stretched her arms as far as they would go. “This is persecution of short people!”

He was in the middle of laughing triumphantly when Amy wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in for a passionate kiss. He was too blissfully distracted with this endeavor to notice that he had lowered his arm. Amy snatched at the bowl and ran away cackling like a maniac.

“You seduced me! For _popcorn_!” Teddy said, following her to the couch.

“Shh, she’s calling, she’s calling,” Amy said excitedly when her phone began trilling loudly.

“Hi guys,” Beth’s voice came across the speaker.

“It’s so good to hear your voice! We almost forgot what you sounded like.”

Beth laughed and asked who else was there. Amy couldn’t help but notice the note of disappointment when she told her it was just the two of them.

“We tried to get everyone here, but you know Meg and John are doing wedding stuff, and Mom and Dad disappeared to buy more tools. Mom has it in her head to change the hardware in the kitchen. Jo and Marcus are always doing something book-related, so who knows what they’re up to. Oh! I have to tell you about this new thing I learned about the Arts in Pittsburgh program!”

And thus the conversation continued, until Teddy less than politely encouraged Amy to shut up so Beth could fill them in on all of her adventures.

Apparently in only three days, Beth had visited several monuments and even attended an outdoor concert by a local group of musicians. It was almost dinnertime there, and thanks to Meg’s impeccable planning, Beth had been housed in a friendly youth hostel in the heart of the city. She had actually managed to make friends, and they were planning to visit a local pub that evening.

“Going out, drinking with friends—it’s like I don’t even know you,” Teddy said.

Beth didn’t respond for a moment and she was heard to speak to a male voice in the background.

“Hey, sorry guys. Marcello tells me they’re heading to dinner now. I’ll talk to you later!”

The line clicked, and Amy and Teddy stared at each other.

“Marcello?” Amy said with a bewildered expression.

“Maybe you were right about the gross international boyfriend.”

“God, I hope not,” Amy said, munching contemplatively on a piece of popcorn.

“Hey, save some for me!” Teddy said, making a valiant dive at the bowl, but Amy took a handful and tossed it at him instead.

There was a knock at the front door, and James let himself in.

“Mr. L, you _just_ missed Beth by a minute,” Amy said.

His face fell. “Again? That’s two days in a row.”

“Don’t worry. She’ll call again,” Teddy said, picking pieces of popcorn off of his clothes.

James nodded, clearly disappointed.

\--

“So anyway, if you could call me back that would be great. Talk to you soon,” Beth hung up the phone and stared down at the screen.

This was her third attempt at calling James. They kept missing each other and leaving messages, which was getting a little bit ridiculous. She only had four days left of her trip, and she had so much she wanted to tell him.

“Beth! Who is it you keep calling?” Marcello called out from behind her.

“Don’t be rude,” Rosie said, shoving his shoulder playfully. “She calls the man she loves.”

Beth turned and faced her two new friends and frowned. “It’s my good friend James, and we just keep missing each other.”

Marcello walked over and put his arm around Beth’s shoulder. “Never mind him. There are other things here to distract you,” he said with an exaggerated wink.

Beth blushed, turning away from his direct gaze. He did enjoy teasing her, and she didn’t always like it. Marcello was a bit of a flirt—a handsome Italian man with brilliant green eyes and dark curly hair. It was hard not to notice him. Rosie, a French exchange student, assured Beth that Marcello was harmless, but that didn’t make his teasing and less uncomfortable.

They continued their stroll down the street and spent the rest of the day touring a few landmarks in Leipzig. The finished the day at the pub and then went their separate ways for the evening. Beth returned to her room (miraculously, Meg had found a small, single room at the hostel) and she was grateful for the moment alone.

It had been a long day of walking, and she felt as though she might drift to sleep when her phone began trilling loudly.

“Hello?” she said, her voice a bit groggy.

“Oh, I woke you. I can call back another time.”

“James, hi!” she said, instantly alert. “I’ve had so much to tell you and we keep playing phone tag,”

“I know,” he said, and there was a hint of regret in his voice. “I also kind of wanted to give you space to explore.”

Beth was quiet for a moment, wondering if he had been fielding her calls.

“Well that’s silly,” she blurted out. “You know you’re the only person I want to talk to about my adventures. You’re the only one who understands all the musical references.”

He laughed softly. “Well, that’s me told off, then. A proper scolding from Beth March.”

“Precisely,” she said, feeling more bold over the phone than she would have in person. “Now let me tell you where I went today.”

She filled him in on all the major events she could recall, but there had been so many. She sat up on her bed and instinctively reached for something that was around her neck.

“Oh, and by the way,” she said, “your necklace almost got me in trouble with airport security.”

Before he could respond, she told him how they scanned her bag three times and then insisted she open the package.

“Well, that kind of ruined the surprise,” James said with a sigh.

She laughed and stared down at the small pendant, a circle of brass inlaid with glass. The picture was an abstract representation of piano keys surrounded by music notes.

“It’s perfect,” she said. “Anytime I get homesick, I just have to look at it.”

“You’re missing home, then?” James asked, and the worry was audible in his question.

“Of course,” she said.

“Good,” he replied. “I mean—not good, of course. But—oh forget it. I’m just glad you’re having a good time, Beth.”

“Thank you,” she responded, falling back against the mattress with a sigh. “Oh, I forgot to tell you,” and she dove once more into stories of her adventures. She was so carried away with this task that she must have drifted off at some point.

“Beth?” James said.

His voice pulled her from the light sleep into which she’d fallen, and she sat up suddenly.

“How long have we been talking?” she asked, her voice hoarse.

“Almost two hours.”

“I’m so sorry!” she said, suddenly self-conscious.

“It’s perfectly alright. The snoring wasn’t too loud,” he teased.

“Very funny,” she said. “But really, I’m sorry for keeping you on the phone for so long. I’ve probably used almost all of my international minutes.”

“It’s been my absolute pleasure, Beth,” he said.

Something about the tone of his voice brought a smile to her face.

“Won’t be long now till I’m home again,” she mused aloud.

“I can’t wait,” was all he said—so softly that she almost thought she imagined it.

They said their goodbyes and disconnected.

Beth tucked herself into bed, since it was almost midnight now, and plugged her phone in on the nightstand. She absently wondered if she did, in fact, have any minutes remaining on her plan. She didn’t feel the least bit of regret if that ended up being the truth. It was worth it to simply talk to him.

Another wave of homesickness washed over her, and she clutched at the necklace as she drifted off to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the shorter chapter! There will be more later. <3


	9. Home at Last

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He eyed her warily. “Is that a real ‘I’m fine’ that actually means it, or is it secret Beth code for ‘that was incredibly rude, get away from me right now?’”

Jo stared down at her phone (thankfully she was only down to the one, since she had been officially fired from her position as “Ghost Tweeter”).

“How did Beth burn through all of her international minutes?” Jo said, staring around at the family. “She says she has to rely on texting till she leaves tomorrow.”

James was oddly quiet from his corner of the table. He chewed on a bite of meatloaf and swallowed. No one seemed to notice.

“Maybe it’s that Marcello guy she keeps talking about,” Amy said, wiggling her eyebrows at her sister across the table.

Jo rolled her eyes. “They wouldn’t have to talk on the phone if they are in the same country together.”

Amy shrugged and went back to eating her meatloaf.

Robert piped up from the end of the table. “Your mother and I actually have an engagement tomorrow night, so we’re not sure we will be able to pick up Beth.”

“Dad!” Jo chided. “We should all be there for her. This return trip is momentous for Beth.”

“Actually,” Marcus interjected, “you and I have that dinner with the potential publishers tomorrow night.”

“Crap,” Jo said. “What about Meg and John?”

“They’ll be spending the night at the hotel before the wedding convention on Saturday,” their mom supplied from the opposite end of the table.

“Poor John,” Teddy added. “I do not envy him.”

Amy swallowed her bite and then said, “Well, I’ve got a dress rehearsal tomorrow night at that venue an hour away, and Teddy promised to drive me.”

The table lapsed into silence as everyone considered what they could do.

“I’ll pick her up,” James said, the tone of his voice indicating they were silly not to think of it sooner.

“Are you sure, Mr. L?” Amy asked.

He nodded and said in his usual matter-of-fact tone, “Of course. Our Beth can’t be expected to take a cab home. She should have at least one friendly face there to greet her at the airport.”

“To Mr. L!” Jo said, raising her glass in a toast. The rest of the family joined in with a laugh.

\--

Beth had packed her bag four separate times and began to get obsessive about checking the room for any mislaid items. She had the travel itinerary practically memorized, and in the midst of a moment of panic (in which she temporarily mislaid her passport and found it in her back pocket) her phone lit up with an incoming text.

_We can’t all be there to greet you when you arrive, but someone will be there to welcome you home. We love you, Bethie!_

Her mom’s text brought a sudden grin to her face. She just had to focus on seeing her family again. It would make all the stresses and frustrations of travel worthwhile.

The next few hours flew by in a daze as she joined several others from the hostel on a bus to the airport. She gave Rosie and Marcello a somewhat distracted farewell, and she wasn’t even ruffled by the fact that Marcello insisted on giving her a kiss on both cheeks. They exchanged emails and promised to keep in touch. Beth wasn’t overly hopeful. They had been pleasant companions, and she was grateful for their kindness on her first overseas trip, but she didn’t get the sense that they would be lifelong friends.

She barely slept on the first flight, and even the new mystery novel she had picked up at the airport bookstore couldn’t hold her interest. All she could think about was getting home and seeing everyone again.

Her second flight had a delay, and it really seemed as though she would burst with anticipation. It felt like an insurmountable task to sit still on the final leg of the journey. She wasn’t even bothered by the screaming baby behind her or the man who insisted on using both armrests for himself. She simply clutched her necklace and thought of seeing her family in a few short hours.

_Just landed – heading to baggage claim and will see everyone soon!_

She sent the text rapid-fire as soon as the airhostess gave everyone permission to turn on their electronic devices. The group message was oddly silent. She had expected it to be flooded with messages giving a play-by-play update of the Marches as they traveled to the airport.

But it didn’t matter. As soon as she claimed her bag, she would find them waiting for her in the lobby.

Beth waited anxiously for the sight of her red plaid suitcase, and the moment she had it in hand, she was off like a shot. She practically ran through the corridors, skirting around people on the electronic walkways and escalators. She didn’t care about politeness for once.

She burst through the revolving door into the lobby and scanned the gathering faces. Her eyes drifted over the faces several times, and her heart began to sank when she had yet to recognize anyone.

“Beth!” a familiar voice cried out.

She turned and saw James walking towards her with the biggest, giddiest grin on his face.

“James! Where is—” but she couldn’t finish her question as he pulled her into a sudden hug.

“I am so glad to see you,” he said, his voice vibrating soothingly against her ear.

She was momentarily stunned before she let go of her suitcase to return his embrace. She pulled him closer and breathed in the familiar scent of his aftershave. Beth wasn’t yet in the familiar, loving embrace of Orchard House, but James’s hug felt like coming home at last.

\--

James allowed himself three more seconds of the hug before stepping back, overcome with a sense of propriety. They were, in fact, blocking the walkway for several people. A bottleneck of returning passengers had formed around them, and he felt his neck flush suddenly as they stepped to the side.

“Is it just you tonight?” Beth asked, glancing around.

He felt his heart dip slightly into his stomach. But of course she had been expecting all of her relatives, not their friendly neighbor who was an honorary March family member.

“They all had prior engagements tonight. I’m sorry it’s just me this evening.”

She met his gaze with unusual directness and purpose. “I don’t mind at all.”

James allowed himself to hope—just a tiny bit—that there was some significance behind her words. They had, after all, used all of her remaining international minutes in the span of three days talking about everything and anything. But there was a strange uneasiness between them tonight. He chalked it up to the exhaustions and frustrations of travel and the lateness of the hour.

“Well, we should get you home to rest.” He took hold of her rolling suitcase and held out his arm to her.

She took it with a small smile.

They made their way to the car in silence, and the moment he shut the trunk, he could hear Beth’s phone chiming repeatedly with notifications.

“I’m guessing you spread the news of my arrival,” she said with a wry smile as he started the car.

“Of course. They all wanted to be here, but I’m sorry you had to settle for this old man instead,” he said with a light laugh.

Her expression was very serious. “You’re not old. And I’m glad it’s you.” She sighed and continued, “I love my family, but all together, they can be a bit…much. It was a relief to have you there to greet me.”

James allowed his spirits to soar as they exited the airport and began their journey home.

She grew quiet in the car. Normally, this didn’t bother him, but the energy of this quietness was pierced with a strange air of expectancy, as if she was holding her breath to speak. He was highly aware of the many subtle moods of Beth, and this one puzzled him.

“What’s the matter?” he said.

“How do you always know when I want to say something?” Beth said.

He glanced in her direction to find her staring down at something around her neck. A second glance told him she was wearing the necklace he had bought her. His heart jumped to his throat.

“Well,” he began, cautiously at first and then gaining in confidence, “I know you incredibly well. If we were to play poker, I think I’d know every one of your tells. And right now, you’re itching to say something.”

She heaved a sigh. “I’m fighting some—confusing feelings for someone.”

He paused, and his hands gripped the steering wheel slightly. “Is this is the same young man we were talking about before? Or is it a new one—perhaps the Marcello boy I’ve been hearing so much about?”

He couldn’t see her face in the dark interior of the car, but he could tell she was staring at him.

“It’s the same one as before,” she said, her voice so soft he barely perceived it over the roar of the heater.

“I see,” he said. “What’s been bothering you?”

“I’m—well, I’m not going to...” Beth huffed, and he could tell she was warring with herself. “I don’t want to go around in circles having you ask me questions about this mysterious ‘young man.’ It’s not a young man, and it’s not Marcello. It’s someone I’ve known for almost my whole life, and…” she trailed off.

He caught a glimpse of true anguish on her features from a passing streetlamp. Her words had practically knocked the wind out of him. Was she trying to intimate some friend of hers, perhaps John or Teddy? That would, indeed, be cause for concern and confusion. But it certainly couldn’t be anyone else.

_Could it?_

James pulled the car into the driveway, not recognizing or really caring that it was for his own home and not Orchard House.

He put the car and in park and was able to study her fully. She was gazing down at the necklace again. He wanted to give her the space she needed to speak.

After a moment, she finally locked eyes with him and said, “Jewelry is a romantic gift. Isn’t it?”

He blinked at her. “Most often, yes. But not always.”

She frowned. “Well, which one was it?” She lifted the pendant towards him with an expectant expression. “And don’t ask me which one I would rather have,” she added with an admonitory tone. “I want to know, with no expectation or judgment on my part, what _you_ intended.”

James studied her for a moment. He swallowed, his throat suddenly dry.

“You have your whole life ahead of you, Beth,” he said cautiously. “The necklace was a gift to remind you of where your home is.”

She shook her head. “That doesn’t answer my question.”

He faltered. “Well, I—gave it to you so you wouldn’t go off into the big, wide world and realize other adventures awaited you. I was afraid you might not come back.”

He ran a hand through his curly hair with a defeated sigh. He might as well say everything. He had come too far now.

“And I realized I would miss you desperately if that happened,” he said.

Beth threw her hands into the air, showing her rare temper in front of him. “You’re still dodging the question.”

“I’m not!” he countered.

“Yes, you are!” Beth maintained. “You may think you’re answering it, but you’re not. You’re—”

She froze when he leaned across the center console and pressed a kiss to her cheek.

James stared at her, just as startled by his actions.

“I’m—sorry,” he suddenly found himself rambling. “I should have asked first, it’s—”

“It’s fine,” she said, her voice so small he barely heard it.

He eyed her warily. “Is that a real ‘I’m fine’ that actually means it, or is it secret Beth code for ‘that was incredibly rude, get away from me right now?’”

Beth’s face split into a wide grin, and he felt a burn of hope in his chest. Perhaps he hadn’t ruined everything with that impulse.

“Truly, I’m fine,” she said, and even in the dim glow from his headlight reflection on the garage door, he could see she was blushing.

She cleared her throat. “You could even—try it again, if you like.”

James smiled and leaned forward tentatively. At the last moment before his lips touched her cheek, she turned her face. Their lips met, and they both pulled back slightly. Beth let out a soft laugh, and he felt a similar flutter of nervousness in his chest. They had never tried this before, but the second kiss told him all he needed to know. As the second kiss transformed into a third, he found his hands had made their way to either side of Beth’s face, and one of her hands was gripping the front of his shirt.

They would have happily continued this endeavor, but a noise outside the car brought them swiftly back to earth.

The entire March family, including Teddy and John, stood staring at the couple. Several of them had their mouths open, but Meg dropped the hand-made, glittery poster and clapped her hands excitedly.

“I knew it!” she said. “I totally called it, didn't I, Jo?”

“This should be interesting,” Beth said softly beside him.

James stared between Beth and her family and wondered how on earth he was going to explain this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay in uploading this - things have been insane on my end. Lots of life situations, but they've calmed down (for now). Found a moment to finally write out this scene. I've always found airports to be romantic, and I couldn't resist writing a scene like this. Let's see what happens when the rest of the March family finally finds out what Meg knew all along. ;)


	10. Deep Breath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He could hardly be expected to miss her less than subtle invitation at this point.

Amy stared at Beth from the opposite end of the couch. She watched her sister’s cheeks flush as she avoided Meg’s direct gaze. Amy rolled her eyes and tossed a throw pillow at her oldest sister.

“Stop being so pushy, Meg!” Amy chided.

Jo leaned over and chimed in her agreement. Amy could only gaze blankly at Jo, who had just agreed with her for the first time in—well, ever. Marcus must be doing something right.

“Guys, it’s fine,” Beth said, surprising all of them.

Jo huffed. “It’s not! Meg has been wheedling and pushing and insinuating nonstop—”

“I object!” Meg said.

“Guys!” Amy shouted, effectively silencing both of them. She turned to Meg, “You’re not a lawyer yet,” and to Jo, “and you’re being judgmental as usual. Why don’t we—I don’t know—ask _Beth_ what she thinks?”

Jo’s mouth was open in silent outrage while Meg appeared somewhat sheepish in her chair. Beth put her hand on Jo’s arm, effectively quelling Jo’s rising temper—as only Beth can.

“I’m so grateful to all three of you—truly I am,” Beth said. “For Amy’s constant encouragement, for Meg’s wish to push me toward new opportunities, and for Jo’s unwavering defense.”

Meg’s apology was clearly written across her features, and she almost looked close to tears. Jo leaned over and put her head on Beth’s shoulder.

“But seriously Beth,” Amy interjected, “Mr. L?”

Jo lightly shoved Amy’s arm, but Beth’s statement took them off guard.

“It _is_ a little ridiculous,” Beth admitted, and the four of them burst into laughter.

As this slowly died down, Meg sobered and said, “As long as you’re happy, none of us really have any issue with it, Beth.”

Jo and Amy added their consent, and Beth felt her heart soar. A huge weight had been lifted, and she felt at last like she could take a deep breath.

The March sisters stayed in their private little Post Office until the group quietly dispersed. Amy had another rehearsal, Jo had to meet with a second editor for her novel, and Meg and John were off to taste cakes. Even Margaret and Robert had plans to swap out their old oven for a newer model with a couple they found on Facebook. This left Beth to her own devices.

She walked through the now-empty Orchard House and settled into her favorite room. Before she lost herself in sight-reading a new piece James had given her, she sent him a brief text message and tried to distract herself while she waited.

\--

James turned the knob on the front door, entered, and locked it behind himself. The sweet sounds of the piano drew him to the living room, where he paused at the threshold to watch Beth play.

“Are you going to join me or just watch?” Beth said, catching him off-guard while she continued to play.

“How did you know I was here?”

She paused and turned from the piano bench, smiling. “The floorboards creak in this house.”

He returned her smile and complied with her request. James allowed himself to sit closer to her than he normally would. The fact that she didn’t back away was encouraging.

He would have been content to sit close to her and watch her play, but instead he cleared his throat and turned his attention to the music. She had found the new book of duets he’d left for her as a return gift, and without preamble, she dove into the piece. He scrambled to catch up, observing a mischievous smirk on her face from the corner of his eye.

At the close of the piece, they turned to each other and grinned.

“I’ll never be a match for you, my dear,” he said, clasping his hands to keep himself from taking her in his arms. He was having trouble resisting this impulse. “You’ll out-play me every time.”

Beth shook her head. “You only have yourself to blame. You’re the one who encouraged me all these years to keep pursuing music.”

Her face sobered before he could respond, and even though Beth was a champion at hiding her feelings, James knew she was worried about something.

“What’s on your mind?” he asked, putting a hand gently against the small of her back.

He hoped she wasn’t regretting their kiss last night. He certainly enjoyed it and secretly hoped there would be a repeat performance. But he sighed and removed his hand, scooting away a few millimeters to give her space if he was making her uncomfortable. Though he knew almost everything about her, even James struggled at times to know what she was thinking.

She appeared to debate her words and finally blurted out, “What did my parents say to you?”

“Oh, _that’s_ what’s bothering you?” he said, relief instantly flooding his chest. “Well, they were a bit surprised at first, but the longer they thought about it, the more they said it seemed to fit.”

“They were okay with it?” Beth said, visibly shocked.

“Of course,” he replied. “Whatever makes you happy, they are all for it.”

He was stunned to see the beginnings of tears in her eyes. He didn’t know if this was a moment to embrace her or sit back, so he settled on clasping her hand. She pressed it gently in reply and wiped at her eyes with her other hand.

“Is there something else wrong?” he pressed. “Did the March sisters disapprove?”

She shook her head. “They said almost the exact same thing. They just want me to be happy.”

“And…are you?” he asked, a small nugget of doubt taking root in the pit of his stomach.

Beth took his hand in both of hers and let it rest on her knee. “I was never _un_ happy.” She met his gaze searchingly. “But I think I’m beginning to understand what all the fuss is about.”

Beth gave him a new sort of smile, one with promise and so much warmth that it spilled across the space between them and filled his chest. He could hardly be expected to miss her less than subtle invitation at this point. James lifted his free hand to wipe at a stray tear on her cheek before leaning down to kiss her.

She was hesitant at first, but it seemed like a door had been opened through which all of Beth’s long-held inhibitions and fears flew away. Suddenly, she was pressing herself closer to him and returning the kiss with unexpected passion. Her hands lifted to explore the contours of his face, letting the tips of her fingers to trail delicately along his neck.

A grunt escaped James’ lips, and she pulled away sharply.

“Did I do something wrong?” she said, her face full of concern. “I’m—not very experienced in this realm.”

He took a deep breath to calm the hammering of his heart. “On the contrary,” he admitted. “I was enjoying that very much.”

She gave him a half-smile and resumed this activity. It was as if he was an unfamiliar piece of music that she was tentatively exploring. He put his arms around her and pulled her close as they explored the taste of each other's lips.

Here he was, sitting on the piano bench beside his Beth, surrounded by the love and warmth of Orchard House—and he was in heaven.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think this concludes my little series honoring a surprising adaptation of my favorite book. I hope I gave it some justice, including sweet Beth and James. Thank you for coming on this journey with me! <3 <3


End file.
